Oar lock and protector



Jan. 22, 1957 c. R. BERGMAN 2,778,036

OAR LOCK AND PROTECTOR Filed July 31, 1953 INVEN TOR. (MR1 R. Ef/W/MN Q MMM Unite This invention relates to improvements in boat oar mounting means and has for a primary object to provide an oar mount that strengthens the oar and enables the oars in use to be easily feathered, thus leading to easier and less fatiguing rowing and quieter operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an oar lock that is easily installed on an oar without using any pins or the like that go through an oar and weaken it.

A further object is to provide a ring within which radial rollers on an oar are mounted for axial rotation and for bodily sliding movement around a track on the inner circumferential surface of the ring, which has a pin that mounts it in the regular opening in the sides of a boat. The pins are carried by plates which are screwed onto opposite sides of an car and rigidify and protect it.

These and ancillary objects and structural features of merit are attained by this invention, the preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a front elevational view of the oar lock, mounted on an oar which is shown in section;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 L of Figure 3; .[Figure 5 is an elevational of the inside of one of the protective plates which mounts the roller on the oar;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the assemblage for attaching one of the rollers to its mounting plate.

In the drawing, the side portion 8 of a boat (not shown) is provided with a conventional opening 10 which receives a pin or peg 12 that has a shoulder 14 to limit its placement in the opening. The pin 12 extends radially from a ring 16 which has a continuous track 18 formed on its inner circumferential surface.

The oar 20 has a pair of longitudinally elongated, transversely curved plates 22 and 24, which are curved to complement the round outer surface of the oar. The

plates have corner openings 26 to receive screws 28 which mount the plates on opposite sides of the oar. The plates are semi-circular in cross section and extend, when in place, almost around the oar.

Each plate has a center outwardly bulged portion 30, which is non-circular and has a non-circular opening or recess 32. A fiat plate 34, which is the head of a T-bolt is fitted into the bulged portion 30 and secured therein by Welding or the like. If the welding works loose, the non-circular configuration of the portion 30 and plate 34 will prevent relative rotation. Thus, the shank 36 of the T-bolt or pin projecting from the plate 34 through the opening or recess 32 cannot rotate.

A roller 38 is rotatably sleeved onto the free end of the pin 36 and spaced from the plate by spacers or washers 40. The roller is cylindrical to rotate on the pin 36 and within the track and has a flat end wall 42 which locates it on the pin and which engages the track.

In use, the rollers rotate and slide around in the track and enable the oars to be easily feathered. Thus, easier rowing is obtained which means an absence of blistered hands. Also, the oars are quieter in use and the oars are not weakened but instead are strengthened.

The operation and installation of the oar locks will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is to be understood that while the best known embodiment has been shown and described, other forms of this invention may be realized as come within the purview of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An oar lock comprising a ring having a trackway formed in the inner face thereof, a pair of arcuate plates adapted to be mounted upon opposite sides of an oar, a bulged portion extending centrally outwardly from each of said plates and having a non-circular recess in the inner face thereof, a pair of pins each having a head atfixed in closely fitting relation in one of said recesses, said pins extending radially outwardly in diametrically opposite directions with respect to the car, a roller revolubly mounted on the outer end of each pin and positioned in said trackway.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 58,402 Fryer Oct. 2, 1866 282,855 Davis Aug. 7, 1883 612,488 Dean Oct. 18, 1898 662,227 Eldredge Nov. 20, 1900 998,562 Young July 18, 1911 1,000,198 Rothgery Aug. 8, 1911 1,674,307 Smith June 19, 1928 1,768,006 Seberg et al. June 24, 1930 2,424,605 Edmonson July 29, 1947 2,461,092 Sterling Feb. 8, 1949 2,504,461 Spiehler Apr. 18, 1950 2,559,929 Bjork July 10, 1951 

